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"God's kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. "Later, about nine o'clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went. At five o'clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, 'Why are you standing around all day doing nothing? ' "They said, 'Because no one hired us.' "He told them to go to work in his vineyard. When the day's work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, 'Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.' "Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, 'These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.' "He replied to the one speaking for the rest, 'Friend, I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn't we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can't I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?' "Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first." (Matthew 20:1-16)
The things of God are awesome! But only if we have a spiritual mind with which to understand those things. Many of us still function with a worldly perspective and that limits our understanding. Thus, the parable Jesus tells to describe how the kingdom of God works. This estate manager goes out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He offers them a dollar a day, and the workers agree to the salary. After breakfast, he goes out and finds more workers and offers them the same amount. And then right before supper, he goes and sees some workers who need a job, and so he hires them to work in his vineyard, again for the same salary. At the end of the day, all line up to get their money and they all get what they had agreed on; one dollar. Those who started first, thought they would get more since they spent more hours toiling in the vineyard; why would those who only worked an hour get the same salary? The estate manager said, "Why do you think this is unfair? I paid you what we agreed would be your salary. Can't I do what I want with my own money? You want to be stingy because I choose to be generous?" And then what the Message version of the Bible calls, "The Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first."
Apply this story to modern life, and the hope of life eternal. Many of us were born into Christian families, had a conversion experience with Jesus, live out our lives and when our day comes to die, we hope to enter into Heaven. During our lives, those who did not have a relationship with Christ have come to faith, some in their teens, others in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 60s, 80s; and some right at the point of death, get offered that relationship with Christ, repent of their sins, invite Jesus in, and they die. Who "deserves" Heaven? All of those who had a relationship with Jesus. It doesn't matter when they came in! Such is the generosity of God in His love and mercy towards those who ask it.
Great will be the reward of those who are faithful and endure to the end; it matters not when you came in. Rejoice that some have come in because of your work in bringing them in; rejoice more for those who came in by the grace of someone else's work.
PRAYER: LOVING GOD, grant me a spiritual heart and mind to understand and enjoy Your ways. Help me to continue to invite others to join me in this walk with You so that when we end our days here, we can rejoice in the glory of eternity with You. This we pray in the strong name of He who told the parables, Jesus our Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Tell somebody about Glory today!
Eradio Valverde
